Disclosed in JP2005-170152A is a deceleration control device that reduces a controlling amount (a controlling level) of a deceleration control in a case where the vehicle is determined to travel a near side of a curve exit, so that a decelerating degree of a vehicle is reduced in order to avoid a driver from feeling discomfort because of insufficient acceleration of the vehicle in the vicinity of the curve exit, which may occur when the deceleration control is executed while the vehicle is traveling on the curve. According to the deceleration control device disclosed in JP2005-170152A, the vehicle is allowed to smoothly accelerate at the near side of the curve exit.
Generally, the driver may feel discomfort when a targeted acceleration of the vehicle is not achieved, such in a case where the vehicle is decelerated by the deceleration control contrary to a driver's intention of accelerating the vehicle. In other words, the discomfort, which may be caused due to insufficient acceleration and the like, may be felt by the driver not only at the near side of the curve exit, but also while the vehicle travels on the curve (i.e. at any zone of the curve).
A need thus exists to provide a speed control device for a vehicle, which causes less discomfort for a driver and which achieves a smooth speed control in response to a driver's intention of accelerating the vehicle.